The invention relates to multipackaging whereby containers are grouped into readily saleable quantities and fixed into a carrier to facilitate handling and carrying by the end purchaser and particularly describes a blank of sheet material, a method and apparatus for application of it to containers for use as a carrier for the containers.
Previously multipacks for flanged containers such as beverage cans, food cans and yogurt tubs have either consisted of a length of paperboard joined to totally surround the containers and which is wasteful of the board. Or in the opposite extreme consisted of only three small paperboard panels joined by two longitudinal folds, a top panel and the side panels. such a top panel able to lie superimposed over one side of a flange which is to be held and prevent relative displacement of a hinge on at least one edge operable with a side panel top edge and said hinge on a line crossing over the superimposed area and there interrupted by lines of cut to define an edge of the side panel able to engage a part of the other side of the flange when the side panel is angled toward the flange.
Such economic multipacks have several disadvantages. Because the outer edge of the board is free it can be caught and lifted to release the container but more importantly, because the side wall's lower edges can move in relation to the container side when the multipack is twisted there is very little resistance to twisting and the container can release. Also because the lower wall edges do not hold the container and the container is held only by the end flange the multipack has no depth of leverage to hold the container whereas the adverse forces for release of the container operate over the full depth of the container when considered axially. Therefore such economic multipacks have been found insufficiently strong to be useful in trade.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an economic carrier wherein the side walls are fixed to form a part of a depth of socket into which the container is fitted by apparatus employing a method for forming the blank around the container into a carrier.
A blank for an economic carrier according to the prior art comprising a substantially rectangular piece of hingable sheet material such as, for example, paperboard divided by longitudinally extending folds for hinge lines into, a panel which forms the carrier top panel with a side panel hinged to one or both longitudinal top panel edges, said side panel having openings to allow a part of a container flange to pass therethrough.
It is an object of the present invention to add to the blank of the art sufficient paperboard for additional holding means for the carrier to be sufficiently strong for it to be useful in trade.
Apparatus for applying the blank according to the prior art was required only to locate the carrier over the containers and fold the side panels against the containers for the opening to allow a part of the container flange to pass therethrough.
It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus able to prestress the paperboard around the end of the container.